Electric car



(No Model.)

L, PFINGS ELECTRIC GAR No. 430,147. Patented June 17, I890.

Em J UNITED STATES ATENT FFIC LOUIS PFINGST, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

ELECTRIC CAR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 430,147, dated June 17, 1890.

Application filed March 24, 1890. Serial No. 345,042. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, LOUIS PFINGST, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk, State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Cars, of which the following is a description sufficiently full, clear, and exact to enable any person skilled in the art or science to which said invention appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is an end elevation showing the method of mounting the electric motor in my improvement, and Fig. 2 a vertical transverse section of the same.

Like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different figures of the drawings.

My invention relates to mechanism actuated by an electric motor for driving a car, it being especially adapted for use on electric street-cars; and it consists in certain novel features hereinafter fully set forth and claimed, the object being to produce a simpler, cheaper, and more effective device of this character than is now in ordinary use.

The nature and operation of the improvement will be readily understood by all conversant with such matters from the following explanation.

In electric cars as ordinarily constructed at least two motors are employed to drive the car. These motors are usually mounted on the car-trucks, and the wheels of different trucks are driven independently. A great loss of power is thus occasioned, and the motors are frequently injured or rendered inoperative from the jarring of the wheels on the rails. My improvement obviates these objections, the motor being mounted between and above the trucks, and the wheels being driven conjointly.

As the car-body may be of any desired form and construction and is mounted on the trucks in the usual manner, it is not deemed essential to illustrate or particularly describe these parts herein.

In the drawings, A B represent the axles upon which wheels O D are mounted. At each side of the car-body a longitudinallyarranged bar (1 is secured, said bars being connected by two laterally-disposed archbraces f f. An electromotor H, of any desired form and construction, is mounted by trunnions g on the arch-bars f. A circular metallic box h is mounted centrally on each axle A B, said axles rotating freely in'the boxes. Secured to each axle within the boxes it there is a spirally-toothed wheel or gear 1', said gears Working in oil contained in the boxes.

A horizontal shaftE is arranged longitudinally under the car and is fitted to rotate in journals k, formed on the boxes h. These journaled are chambered at m, and mounted on the shaft within each of said chambers there is an endless screw 19, which meshes with the adjacent wheel a, said screws and wheels forming worm-gears, whereby the axles A B are conjointly rotated as the shaft E moves. A standard q projects vertically upward from one journal It, said standard being provided with a laterally-projecting stiffening-web r. A rectangular openingt is formed in the upper end of the standard, and ablock 'v is fitted to slide vertically therein. A vertical screw w'works in the top of said standard and said block. This screw passes upward through the car-body, and is provided on its upper end with a hand-wheel 00, whereby the block 1; may be adjusted. One end ofthe motor-shaft P is journaled in the block 2;. Said motor, being mounted on trunnions, will readily move as the block is raised or lowered by its screw. A friction-gear 15 is mounted on the shaft E near the standard q, and a pinion 16 on the motor-shaft meshes therewith. The current being turned onto the motor H, sets its shaft P in motion. Said shaft being geared to the shaft E, connected with the axles by the worm-gears described, rotates said axles and drives the car. By means of the hand-wheel ac and 'screw to the driver of the car can instantly disconnect the friction-gears, permitting the brakes to act much more quickly on the wheels than when the current alone is shut off from the motor, as is usually the custom.

The current may be turned onto the motor at all times and the great loss of power incihas stopped is saved. This is especially valuable in the electric systems, wherein an overhead conducting-wire and trolley are employed, the strain on the dynamos at the power-generating station resultant from constantly starting the numerous cars on the line being overcome. The worm-gears working in oil prevents their overheating and the axles rotate freely in the oil-boxes h. Rubber cushions may be inserted between the arches f and the motors H, if desired, to further relieve said motors from the jar of the car; but I do not deem this necessary.

The device described is particularly adapt ed for use on an independent motor-car or car designed to draw a train, the arrange ment permitting the apparatus to be disposed in a very compact space and the driving-Wheels to be placed very closely together.

Having thus explained my invention, what I claim is- 1. In an electric car, an electric motor mounted on the arch-bars, combined with a shaft connected by worm-gears with the caraxles and by friction-gears with the motorshaft, substantially as described.

2. In an electric car, a motor mounted by trunnions on the arch-bars, a shaft mounted on the car-axles and connected therewith by worm-gears, and friction-gears connecting said shaft with the motor-shaft, said motorshaft having an adjustable journal whereby the friction-gears may be disconnected, substantially as described.

3. In an electric car, an oil-box mounted on each car-axle, a longitudinally-arranged shaft journaled thereon and connected with the axles by worm-gears disposed within said boxes, a standard on one of said boxes, an adjustable journal therein, a rocking electric motor disposed on the arch-bars with its shaft mounted in said journal, and friction-gears connecting said shafts, substantially as described.

4. In an electric car an electric motor mounted to rock on the arch-bars and having its shaft journaled in an adjustable bearing mounted on the car-axle, in combination with worm-gears for conjointly rotating the caraxles, and driven by a friction-gear on said shaft, substantially as described.

5. In an electric car, arocking electromotor mounted on a frame supported by the archbars, an 0il-box mounted on each car-axle, a

shaft journaled on said boxes, worm-gears connecting said shafts and axles, a sliding bearing for the motor-shaft mounted on one of said boxes, a screw for adjusting said bearing, and friction-gears connecting said shafts, substantially as set forth.

6. In an electric car, a rocking electric motor mounted on the arch-bars, combined with a worm-shaft geared thereto and adapted to conjointly rotate the car-axles, substantially as described. r

7. The combination of a rocking electric motor having its shaft mounted in an adjustable journal, with a worm-shaft geared to the car-axles and connected with the motor-shaft by separable gears, substantially as and for purpose set forth.

8. In an electric car, the combination of a longitudinally-arranged worm-shaft geared to the car-axles, oil-boxes inclosing said gears and forming journals for the shaft, a rocking electric motor mounted on the arch-bars, friction-gears connecting said shaft with the motor-shaft, and a journal for the motor-shaft vertically adjustable on the worm-journal, whereby the friction gears may be disconnected, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

9. In a device of the character described,

the boxes h, mounted on the car-axles and inclosing a worm-gear, a worm-shaftj ou rnaled on said boxes, the rocking electromotor H, mounted on the arch-bars and having its shaft journaled in the movable bearing 4), the friction-gears 15 16, and the hand-screw w, for adjusting said journal, substantially as described.

LOUIS PFINGST.

\Vitnesses:

O. M. SHAW, K. DURFEE. 

